This vase is very unusual in form and decoration. Of tripart form, three elongated egg form vases (with everted rims on one end) are joined together in the kiln as a single, large complex vessel - the rounded (and glazed) bottoms unable to hold only one of the vases upright but stable when together forming three feet. One part with bird in flowering shrub decorated reserve on pink flower and vine ground with blue, yellow, aubergine, green, black, white moriage and gold enamel details. Another part with figures picknicking in landscape decorated reserve on aubergine and white enamel flower and vine ground. The third part with travelers in landscape decorated reserve on blue flower and vine ground with blue, yellow, black and aubergine details and successful tromp l'oeil affect with gold enamel highlights. The background decoration of the three parts continue cohesively from one part to the other with only the colors changing. The three parts bound with a blue enameled porcelain rope with bow knots between each part. The rims with green and black enamel decoration and chocolate brown enamel at the top. The colors suggest Kutani in the blue (Ao) palette. The form suggests something more imaginative as might be encountered in Fukagawa design books. Condition is good and presentable but with a couple minor glaze flaws dating to production, some crazing, and a curious, inconspicuous potrusion on the underside where the three parts meet and were it could serve little to no decorative purpose - not visible when standing on a table top. That potrusion is glazed green but with an unglazed end where apparently broken off from the kiln as would blown glass leave a pontil. This leaves questions of what form it took, how long it extended, or what purpose it served. If the vase was not resting on its rim in the kiln (which does not appear to have been the case) then perhaps this green glazed protrusion was a temporary support allowing the rounded vase bottoms to be glazed and fired - the support broken off near the convergence of the three parts after firing, much like the pontil on blown glass. The mass (three parts) lends as much to the mass as does the height. Height, 9 3/4 inches (24.765 cm)

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